Tofu and Root Vegetable Mash Pie

Vegan and gluten-free
A lovely winter warmer for those cold January nights. This recipe is a fusion of two of my favourite pies, one American, one British. Pot pie is a traditional American staple that is usually chicken (but I use tofu) and vegetables in gravy covered in pastry and baked. Cottage pie is a British savoury pie that is topped with mash. Here we have a tofu pot pie filling with a healthy root vegetable mash top. Enjoy those root vegetables from your local farmers while they are in season.

To make mash:
Preheat oven to 180C. Place swede and celeriac in a large pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender enough to mash. While the vegetables are boiling, work on the filling. Drain and mash celerciac and swede when cooked. Stir in margarine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make filling:
Fry tofu in 2 tsp of oil until golden using a non-stick or cast iron frying pan. Remove from heat, place tofu in a bowl and sprinkle with tamari and nutritional yeast. Coat will and set aside. In the same frying pan, cook onion and leek until tender. Add remaining vegetables and cook until carrot is tender.

To make gravy:
In a pan, toast gluten free flour until fragrant, stir in nutritional yeast. Add margarine and stir until melted. Slowly pour water and whisk well. Gently heat until thick, whisking frequently. Finish with tamari, mixed herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Assemble
Crush the cereal flakes with a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin. Stir cooked vegetable mixture and tofu into the gravy. Pour into large baking dish. Top with mash and spread evenly. Sprinkle crushed cereal flakes to top. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve with steamed greens. Enjoy.